We tried Kibou at Clifton selling a £10 coffee – and loved it

Living in BS5, I love any excuse to go to Clifton. Despite living in Bristol for five years and dare I say knowing the city quite well now, going to Clifton still feels like a treat.

I went to Kibou on King’s Road, just outside Clifton Village, on a sunny Friday afternoon and was immediately struck by the beauty of the restaurant. It has an excellent interior decoration that transported me back to Japan and I can imagine it must be a cozy and intimate place to go for an evening meal.

The day we went they had the folding doors open and I chose one of the tables closest to the road with a lovely breeze. At that time, the restaurant was quiet and there were only a few tables with people.

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We started our meal with some cocktails; Kibou (£11) – gin-based, with bergamot, lychee liqueur and rose vermouth – and Kaguwashii Martini (£11) – rum and gin with lime, coconut, lemongrass and apple.

Both cocktails had a stunning presentation – I’d never seen a glass like the one The Kibou came in – and weren’t too dry or too strong. Kibou now has a new lunch set menu (£12.50 for one course, £18.50 for two courses) so we started with Dynamite Cauliflower and Takoyaki.

The cauliflower, marinated in sake and chilli and served with a sweet and spicy sauce, was truly more flavorful and one of the highlights of the meal. Not only was it beautifully presented, but I was blown away by the delicious smell when it arrived.

The cauliflower was crispy yet tender, while the sauce was so rich and thick that you wanted to keep drinking more. The octopus balls came out piping hot and crispy on the outside, doughy and creamy on the inside.

The Takoyaki flavors were more subtle – very different from the cauliflower – but it grew on me. I then had the Spicy Salmon Poke Bowl, something I had never tried before.

The rice bowl was served with various toppings including mango, avocado and crispy onions. I really enjoyed this dish, which felt light and refreshing – perfect for a hot day.

My friend had the Yasai ramen (firm tofu and mixed vegetables) which she described as having wonderful ingredients, but the broth itself lacking a bit of flavor. He especially liked the crispy tofu.

We finished our meal with the Yuzu Cheesecake (£7.5) which was like your average citrus cake with a thick biscuit base as it should be. I also ordered the Japanese coffee (£10.50), with Nikka Japanese whisky, sugar, coffee and cream.

Despite not being a big coffee drinker, I thought the coffee was something special. Very alcoholic, but perfectly balanced with cream and coffee. It tasted very smooth and not too strong; a good end to a delicious meal.

Our meal – including three cocktails and coffee – cost £99 with a 12.5% ​​service charge. I had a very nice lunch at Kibou and would not hesitate to recommend it to people. Especially on a sunny day, it felt like the restaurant came alive and looked its best.